Banks are loosening their lending standards—somewhat—for the energy business as the industry slowly pulls out of the commodity price crash of 2015-2016. That’s not to say banks have returned to the freewheeling money-lending standards common when crude oil prices were $100/barrel or better.

That’s the view of Haylee Edwards, vice president and relationship manager-energy finance, for East West Bank in Dallas.

“We see banks coming back to be more competitive,” she told a Petroleum Engineers Club of Dallas luncheon Sept. 8. “We’re getting phone calls again … we’re coming back.”

Paul Hart serves as editor-in-chief of Midstream Business magazine. He brings 30 years' experience in all phases of the worldwide oil and gas industry – upstream, midstream and downstream – to the publication.